Gail Strickland | |
---|---|
Born |
Birmingham, Alabama, US |
May 18, 1947
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1966–present |
Gail Strickland (born May 18, 1947) is an American actress.
Strickland was born in Birmingham, Alabama, the daughter of Theodosia and Lynn Strickland, who owned a tire shop. She had featured roles in 1970s films such as Bound for Glory, The Drowning Pool and Norma Rae. She appeared on the U.S. Navy series JAG first season episode "War Crimes". She played Ambassador Bartlett, the U.S. ambassador to Peru.
She appeared in the pilot episode of the television series Night Court as the public defender. She guest starred in the "Cagney & Lacey" episode "Fathers and Daughters" (4.5) and in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Paradise", as the character Alixus.
In 1994–95, she appeared as Ms. Landis of Doubleday in the Seinfeld Season 6 episodes "The Chaperone" and "The Switch".
Strickland played a struggling rancher's daughter in the 1987 Highway to Heaven episode "A Dream of Wild Horses," alongside legendary actor Richard Farnsworth.
She played nurse practitioner Marilyn McGrath in the 1988 TV series HeartBeat. This was one of the earliest portrayals of a lesbian character on American network television.
She also had a memorable appearance on the television series M*A*S*H as Captain Helen Whitfield, a nurse in an ongoing battle with alcoholism. She appeared in 11 episodes of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman from 1993–94 as the character Olive Davis.